How Big Is 10 Inches: 15 Familiar 10-Inch Objects
The best way to measure the length of an object without a ruler or tape measure is to compare it with something of the same length. When it comes to 10 inches, several familiar objects around us measure the same.
So, how big is 10 inches? 10 inches is as big as a Samsung Galaxy Tab, a medium pizza, a skillet, a kitchen knife, or the distance between the wrist and the elbow. But the list doesn’t end here.
I will mention 15 familiar 10-inch objects that you can use as a reference point for measuring other objects. Let’s get into it.
15 Objects That Are 10 Inches Long
I should clarify a few things prior to giving the details. Not all objects will have an exact length of 10 inches. Some might be 0.5 inches shorter or longer. Let’s now look at the items.
1. A Samsung Galaxy Tab
Modern-day tablets usually have a larger screen size than old tablets. For example, the screen size of the Samsung Galaxy Tab is exactly 10 inches or 25.4 cm. The screen size will be measured diagonally from one corner to another.
You might find other tablets on the market that have the same screen size. This can be an exact reference for how big 10 inches is.
2. An iPad 10
In different generations, the dimensions of the iPad have been changed slightly. If you take an iPad of the 10th generation, the screen size of it is 10.9 inches. Measuring the screen size will be similar to the previous item.
The screen size might be a bit larger than you anticipated. Still, it is good enough to give you a rough estimate. If you want a more accurate reference, you should use the length of the iPad 10th generation. Its length is 9.79 inches, which is just below the desired length.
3. Width of a Macintosh
Another product from Apple other than the iPad can be a good length reference for 10 inches. The classic Macintosh has a width of 9.6 inches. Remember, I am not talking about the dimensions of the keyboard, the mouse, or the combined width.
Take only the Macintosh and measure its width. It will be 9.6 inches. So, you can hold other objects against the Macintosh and roughly measure its length.
4. A Bread Knife
Commonly used bread knives around our homes have a blade length of about 10 inches. Bread knives usually have longer blades than kitchen knives. So, you should exclude the handle length and only measure the blade length.
There can be a slight variation of about 0.5 inches in the blade length depending on the knife brand or model. But on average, the bread knife blade length is 10 inches.
5. A Kitchen Knife
Unlike bread knives, kitchen knives have shorter blades and longer handles. The combined length of the blade and the handle of a kitchen knife is about 10 inches.
I know a lot of knife sizes are available. Chef’s knives are a bit longer at 12 inches. Pocket knives or paring knives are much shorter. But if you take a regular kitchen knife that is only meant to cut veggies or fish, it is about 10 inches long. Again, the tolerance in length can be plus or minus 0.5 inches.
6. A 10R Photo
If you have a 10R printed photo in your album, take that out. The length of the photo is 12 inches, and the width is 10 inches.
You can compare the width of a 10R photo with other objects to find their lengths or widths.
7. A C4 Envelope
Business envelopes come in a variety of dimensions. Among them, the C4 format is one of the closest portrait envelopes to our desired length. It has a width of 9 inches and a length of 12 inches. So, the width of a C4 envelope can be a good reference point for 10-inch objects.
If you want more accurate reference points, you can use landscape envelopes that are 10 x 13 inches. These envelopes open on the 13-inch side, so the width of the envelope will be 10 inches.
8. A Skillet
As you might already know, 10 inches is equal to 25.4 cm in the metric system. Regular cast iron skillets or non-stick frying pans in your kitchen will be about 25 cm or 9.84 inches in diameter. That is pretty close to what you are looking for.
Remember, this is only the diameter, excluding the handle length. If you want something that measures 10 inches with the handle, you should take a 7-inch skillet or frying pan.
9. A Medium Pizza
Pizzas are measured based on their diameters. So, a 10-inch pizza means cutting the pizza midway through will give a length of 10 inches. That is a medium size pizza which is good for one or two people.
If you order a 10-inch pizza online, the pizza box will also be a good reference point. As the pizza touches the sides inside, the box dimensions will be slightly higher than 10 inches.
10. A Portable Water Bottle
I am not talking about one-time-use plastic bottles of mineral water that you see everywhere. If you are a health-conscious person, you might have a reusable plastic or metal water bottle. These bottles are about 10 inches in height.
To be exact, the average height of these bottles is 9.8 inches. But that is so close to 10 inches that we can use the bottle to measure 10 inches.
11. Wrist to Elbow
For an average adult person, the distance between the wrist and the elbow is slightly over 10 inches. You have to consider individuals with a height of about 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches.
Of course, there can be length variations depending on the growth of specific individuals. But that is a rough estimation of the length and will be useful in difficult situations.
12. Five Golf Tees
Golf tees are inserted into the ground, and the golf ball rests on the tee. Such a tee is about 2 inches long. If you take five golf tees and keep them side-by-side lengthwise, the combined length will be 10 inches.
Finding five tees at the same time is a bit tricky for many people. Also, this type of reference isn’t that suitable for comparison with long objects. So, I suggest you use something more suitable.
13. A 30 mm Spanner
Almost everyone needs to use a spanner at some point. Spanners are of various lengths depending on what size bolt they fit. The closest length of a spanner to our desired length is 261 mm or 26.1 cm.
If you take a spanner intended for 30 mm bolts, the overall length of the spanner will be 26.1 cm or 10.3 inches. That is almost the length you are looking for. So, using that spanner like a 10-inch unit ruler will be easy.
14. A Four-Fold Umbrella
An umbrella might seem to be a much bigger object than 10 inches. But you might have those four-fold umbrellas that can be folded in a much smaller size. These travel-size umbrellas are about 29 cm or over 11 inches long.
The length between the top of the umbrella and the handle is about 11 inches. For slightly larger umbrellas, you can exclude the handle to get 10 inches of length.
15. A Large Pressure Cooker
Pressure cookers usually seem large but have smaller diameters. For example, a pressure cooker of 5-7 liters is pretty large, but the diameter of the cooker is 8.6 inches. If you take larger cookers of about 8.5-9 liters, the diameter of those cookers will be 9.6-10 inches.
The actual diameter can vary depending on the manufacturer and model of the cooker.
Conclusion
10 inches is a common length for many everyday objects. If you have a good visualization of the length, you can measure other objects with this reference. So, how big is 10 inches? A Galaxy Tab, an iPad, a portable water bottle, a skillet, or a medium pizza is about 10 inches big.
You can easily use these items as references to assume the dimensions of other objects. Measuring with such objects will also improve your visual memory. So, you will be able to assume the length of objects better without any reference.
